Year defined by surprising events [The Hutchinson News, Kan.]

Dec. 31--From Mother Nature to politics to local businesses, 2011 was a year of curve balls. The region was surprised by a myriad of events -- from record-setting heat, to the senseless deaths of two young mothers to abrupt resignations of key leadership positions.

The News' top 10 stories of the year are a reflective look back on what captured our hearts and attention in 2011 -- the good, the bad and the ugly.

1. Unyielding heat

Summer 2011 brought soaring temperatures that more than once landed Hutchinson at the top of list of hottest places in the United States.

Hutchinson received its first triple-digit day on May 9 when the temperature reached 102 and broke the record for that date, which had stood since 1895.

Nine 100-degree days were recorded in June, and in July Hutchinson sweated through 23 days of temperatures reaching 100 degrees or more with heat soaring to 113 degrees on July 27. Fourteen more 100-plus days came in August with temperatures reaching 112 on Aug. 2.

By September, Hutchinson was four 100-degree days away from breaking the 52-day record set in 1934, but was foiled when a cool front moved in.

Southwest Kansas suffered similarly, reporting 43 100-degree days in Dodge City, 47 in Garden City and 64 days in Ashland -- all of which broke records in those areas for number of days of triple-digit temperatures.

The extreme heat only aggravated a multiple-year drought in south-central and southwest Kansas.

As of Friday, nearly 60 percent of Kansas is classified as being in some type of drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. In September, after a long, hot summer, 82 percent of the state was considered drought-ridden. To date, the limited moisture, coupled with triple-digit heat this summer, has cost Kansas$1.75 billion in crop losses.

2. Heckel murder stuns community

On June 14, Jennifer Heckel was found shot to death in her home on the north side of Hutchinson. Heckel's 5-year-old son was home when the shooting occurred and walked to a neighbor's house saying his mother was hurt. For two long months police announced no suspects. Purple ribbons were placed around town among other "Justice for Jenny" efforts. Then, in late September, two men were charged in Heckel's death.

Charges against Billy Joe Craig Jr. and Charles Christopher Logsdon indicate investigators believe Heckel's death was a case of mistaken identity. Prosecutors allege Logsdon and Craig had planned to rob someone other than Heckel when she was killed.

The names of both the intended victim and an alleged third co-conspirator in the killing are being withheld "for their protection," according to the Reno County District Attorney's Office.

A preliminary hearing for Craig and Logsdon has been scheduled for Jan. 30. Prosecutors are seeking "Hard 50" sentences for each.

3. Promise changes name, puts Hutchinson back in.

On Sept. 29, newly hired Promise Regional Medical Center CEO Kevin Miller announced plans to again change the name of the hospital, this time putting "Hutchinson" back into the title.

The announcement came to the delight of many who thought former CEO Linda Harrison never should have dispensed with the original name, Hutchinson Hospital, in 2008.

On Dec. 20 the new logo for Hutchinson Regional Medical Center was unveiled, and the new name officially was ushered in while the former name and logo were thrown out. The public will begin seeing changes to the 24 exterior signs at the hospital in February.

4. Bond project completed.

Over the summer, Hutchinson USD 308 wrapped up projects included in a $78.8 million bond issue, which voters passed in 2006.

For the first time in a couple of years, students could come to school without dealing with a construction zone.

The bond issue included improvements to all of the district's K-12 schools and the construction of a new Career and Technical Education Academy on the HHS campus. The district's high school received the biggest changes, including new science labs, an expanded library, a new performing arts center and an expanded cafeteria. The campus was also made accessible to people with disabilities.

A ribbon cutting and open house were held in October.

5. Former law enforcement instructor charged with murder, arson.

On April 30, Brett Seacat, a former police instructor at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Vashti, who was found shot to death inside the couple's home after a fire.

Seacat, who was able to escape the fire with the couple's two young sons, is also charged with aggravated arson and two counts of endangering a child. He's accused of killing his wife and setting the fire to their home. After a preliminary hearing, it's likely that a jury will decide whether the death was a murder or suicide.

The case has drawn attention from Dateline NBC, a primetime broadcast for NBC News.

6. School controversies.

Two local school districts waded through controversies, anger, hurt feelings and distrust this year.

On May 25, the Haven School Board voted 6-1 to close the Mount Hope Elementary School amid budget constraints. The decision was a divisive and emotional one that had repercussions well into the summer. Mount Hope residents vowed to fight the decision and to move their children to other districts.

But the decision held and the school year began with about 80 percent of Mount Hope students staying within the district.

In April, the Hutchinson school district announced that Lincoln Elementary School would be re-organized after it missed its Adequate Yearly Progress mark on state assessments. The Lincoln Excellence Project, which drew criticism from some district staff and community members, resulted in the transfer of many teachers and staff members at the school.

The school started the year with 10 new staff members and a focus on increasing parental involvement, encouraging students' good behavior and addressing problem areas in students' learning.

7. Long-time radio station burns, moves.

On Nov. 28Ad Astra Per Aspera Broadcasting finalized its move to a new home at 10 E. Fifth Ave. after a Sept. 2 fire destroyed its location on Main Street.

Fire investigators have said it's likely that the overnight fire was accidental and probably electrical.

Before moving to the former Elliott Insurance building, the studios of KSKU, KXKU, KNZS and KWHK set up shop in a temporary location in the Wiley Building.

The fire, discovered by a passing motorist, gutted the 106 N. Main St. studios and caused smoke damage to the adjoining Sparks Music and Wiley Building.

Hutchinson Fire Inspector Loyal Peevyhouse estimated damages at $400,000, including the building and its contents.

8. Leadership shifts.

Over the past year, some of Hutchinson's key institutions have seen somewhat unexpected leadership changes.

In January Linda Harrison, former CEO and president of Promise Regional Medical Center -- now called Hutchinson Regional Medical Center -- retired.

Harrison, who said she was retiring to spend more time with family, had led the hospital since 2007. In July, Kevin Miller, who previously served as the president and CEO of the Ashtabula County Medical Center and Health System in Ohio, and as assistant to the president of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, took over as president and CEO.

In August, Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce president Dave Kerr announced he'd step down from his post at the end of 2011, as well. Kerr said that when he accepted the position in 2005, he did so with the understanding that he'd leave in three to five years. Kerr has been lauded for his efforts to improve highway access to Hutchinson and to bring new business and industry to Reno County. In December, the chamber announced that Monty Montgomery, currently an economic development consultant in Big Spring, Texas, will become the organization's new president.

Montgomery's first day on the job will be Jan. 16.

And on Nov. 21, Chris Orwoll, president and CEO of the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, resigned at a meeting of the museum's board of directors, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family.

Both Orwoll, who had led the museum since 2007, and the Cosmophere board said there was no friction or extenuating circumstances that prompted the resignation.

The board named Dick Hollowell as the interim president and CEO. It's likely the museum will conduct a nationwide search for a permanent replacement in the first quarter of 2012.

9. Conservative Kansas.

Kansas turned a deeper shade of red, politically speaking, in 2011.

After eight years of a Democrat occupying Cedar Crest, Republicans Sam Brownback and Jeff Colyer were sworn in as governor and lieutenant governor, respectively, in January. Republicans also replaced Democrats in some other state offices, and in Washington, D.C., the Kansas delegation turned from mostly Republican to completely Republican.

Central and western Kansas acquired a new Congressman -- Fowler Republican Tim Huelskamp -- after longtime Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Hays, was sworn in as Senator in early 2011.

In the State Legislature, the number of Republicans grew, and Brownback found success in pushing his initiatives through the Legislature.

10. Bye bye bowling.

On Dec. 5 Countryside Lanes, the 52-year-old bowling alley, sold in November to become a church, closed its doors and left Hutchinson without a place to bowl for the first time in 60 years.

CrossPoint Church is refurbishing the building for its own use, and has sold all of the 14-foot synthetic panels, which top the original maple wood floors of the alley, as well as the updated scoring system and other equipment installed in recent years, to Wichita bowling alley operator Joma Bowling.

Former Countryside Lanes owner and manager David Allen said the economy is likely to blame for a gradual decline in business over the past two to three years, adding that the smoking ban "really finished this place off." Allen planned to retire after the business' sale.

Mary Clarkin contributed to this story.

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(c)2011 The Hutchinson News (Hutchinson, Kan.)

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